hotplate - shout

Catering Magazines, Not getting the point

message posted 31-Jul-08 14:01:27

I found this article from PubChef. It seems to me that the "industry" still has a lot to learn, equally that the publishers are not enthused by the reality of what chefs have to say, they refused to publish ChefsWorld comment to the story.

You're hired! Apprentice chefs celebrate 30 July, 2008

By John Porter

Essex pubs find new talent in cooking contest

Two Essex pubs have tackled the skills shortage head-on, putting young chefs through their paces in a contest combining elements of ‘Hells Kitchen’ and ‘The Apprentice’.

As reported on ThePublican.com last month, the Pheasant at Gestingthorpe and the Thatchers Arms at Mount Bures teamed up to find fresh talent for their kitchens.

Four candidates were invited to a cookery day at the Thatchers, where they were trained by chefs from the two pubs. The contenders then cooked for twenty guests in the evening.

The prize for the two best performers were apprenticeships at the pubs, and the chance to gain a professional catering qualification whilst working.

The four candidates, all just 16 years old, each cooked a different dish for the guests. The menu for the evening was:

Smoked suffolk bacon, black pudding & poached egg salad, cooked by Faye Mitchell Pan Fried crevettes with a chilli, garlic & citrus dressing, cooked by Jordan Head Crispy pork belly salad with caramelised apples and parmentiere potatoes, cooked by Callum Young Lamb chump with a herb crust, roast new potatoes, fine green beans and real gravy, cooked by Angus Baker Guests were given a guide of what to look for in each dish and asked to score them out of five.

All four of the budding chefs performed extremely well gaining high praise from their guests and from their tutors. As the contenders emerged from the kitchen they were greeted by a round of applause at the end of the evening.

Mitch Adams of the Thatchers said "It was an extremely tough decision, we are delighted to be able to offer all of them jobs."

Faye and Callum have accepted apprenticeships at The Thatchers and the Pheasant respectively, while Angus and Jordan have accepted part time jobs at the pubs, and are planning to enrol at Colchester Institute in September.

James Donoghue of the Pheasant said: "We found it very inspirational to work with a group of young people who have the enthusiasm and drive to make it in the catering industry and are looking forward to holding a similar event next year

ChefsWorld comments:

This fails to address the skill shortage within the industry. There were only four competitors. Two were offered permanent Jobs and two offered part time positions.

Statistics from ChefsWorld Job adverts shows that a salary offered in line with that of a Professional Chef is filled within 30 days. Salaries that are offered in line with "cheap labour" are never filled.

What the "industry" should be addressing is not the "skill shortage" but rather the "Educated employer shortage" The Chef in your Kitchen IS YOUR BUSINESS, the faster employers realise this basic principle the faster the "industry shortages" will be resolved.

crazychef

message posted 03-Aug-08 00:00:57

Ha! I second that, Tim. It has always been my belief and experience most employers are thick, retarded pieces of ******! They all do so love a cheap chef.....then spend most of the day bitching about said chef. Of course, cheap is cheap for a reason. Soon cheffy is gone! And for this very reason, I never allowed the use of 'chef'. Maybe anal.....but blimey, what then was the difference? No chance...too many fakes...employers I mean!

The only solution is for us to be the employers......work the magic.......